Prospect Talent Score

Probability of Success

History

2008-09: Matt Puempel played for the Sun County Panthers Minor Midget team. In 32 games, he scored 37 goals and added 25 assists for 62 points. In 19 playoff games for that team, he scored 23 goals and added 13 assists for 36 points. Puempel was chosen in the first round, 6th overall, of the 2009 OHL Priority Selection by the Peterborough Petes.

2009-10: Puempel played in his OHL rookie season for Petes, appearing in 59 games for that team. He scored 33 goals and added 31 assists for 64 points to go along with 43 penalty minutes. In 4 playoff games for the Petes, Puempel scored 1 goal and added 1 assist for 2 points. Puempel earned several honors on the season, as he was named both OHL and CHL Rookie of the Year, as well as being named to the CHL All-Rookie Team and the OHL All-Rookie First Team. He topped OHL rookies in points and goals in the regular season. Puempel played for Team Ontario at the 2010 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, scoring 2 goals and chipping in 3 assists for 5 points in 6 games for the silver medal squad.

2010-11: In 55 games for the Peterborough Petes, Puempel scored 34 goals and added 35 assists for 69 points while also picking up 49 penalty minutes. Puempel played fo Team Cherry at the 2011 CHL Home Hardware Top Prospects Game.

2011-12: Puempel made his pro hockey debut — skating in nine games for Ottawa AHL affiliate Binghamton — following his junior hockey season with Peterborough. After a disappointing junior year which saw him play just 30 games due to a nine-game suspension and then the lingering effects of a concussion, he scored 1 goal and was plus-one with 2 penalty minutes in limited ice time with Binghamton. Puempel scored 17 goals with 16 assists and was minus-three with 31 penalty minutes for the Petes; playing his last game on January 5th. Puempel signed a three-year, entry-level contract with Ottawa in December of 2011.

2012-13: Puempel joined Ottawa's AHL affiliate in Binghamton in April following his fourth OHL season. He was +1 with no points nor penalty minutes in two regular season games. The Senators were second in the East Division and had the AHL's fourth-best record before being swept by Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in a first round series. Puempel scored 2 goals and was an even plus/minus in three playoff games. Obtained by Kitchener in June of 2012 after requesting a trade from Peterborough, Puempel was the Rangers' top goal scorer despite missing time early in the year with a shoulder injury (which kept him out of Team Canada's U20 camp). He scored 35 goals, including 15 on the power play, with 12 assists in 51 games and was +5 with 43 penalty minutes. The Rangers finished third in the Midwest Division and lost to OHL champion London in the second round. Puempel scored 3 goals with 4 assists and was -2 with 10 penalty minutes in 10 playoff games.

Talent Analysis

Puempel has high-end finishing skills and exceptional vision which complement his natural knack for scoring. His passing skills and willingness to get to the scoring areas are underrated plus he has the ability to make his line-mates better. Improved skating, strength and intensity should enable him to move up to the next level.

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The lack of a first round selection in the 2014 NHL Draft hurt the Ottawa Senators, but the arrival of two forward prospects via trade helped generate some excitement. Acquired from the Dallas Stars as part of a package deal for Jason Spezza, OHL forward Nicholas Paul is a player on the rise, poised for a breakout year in 2014-15. Fellow new arrival Alex Guptill, on the other hand, is looking to rebound back to elite form after a forgettable final season with the Michigan Wolverines.

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The Ottawa Senators are in for another interesting, potentially franchise-altering offseason. Following former captain Daniel Alfredsson's footsteps last summer, the 2013-14 Senators captain Jason Spezza is likely on his way out. Two more top-six forwards, Ales Hemsky and Milan Michalek, might be following suit. With valuable assets to shop around, general manager Bryan Murray will remain busy leading up to the 2014 NHL draft.

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Photo: Forward Curtis Lazar helped the Edmonton Oil Kings to a 2014 Memorial Cup Championship. Lazar was also a standout for the Oil Kings in the WHL Playoffs, posting 10 goals and 12 assists in 21 games. (courtesy of Aaron Bell/CHL Images)

While the Ottawa Senators failed to qualify for the postseason, most of the organization's prospects made playoff appearances this spring. CHL prospects Ben Harpur and Curtis Lazar had particularly noteworthy postseasons as they helped their respective teams to the 2014 Memorial Cup.

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Photo: Forward Vincent Dunn is one of several Ottawa Senators prospects to have an offensively productive 2013-14 season. Dunn managed 31 goals and 20 assists for the Gatineau Olympiques. (courtesy of Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)

A number of Ottawa Senators prospects came into their own during the 2013-14 season. Curtis Lazar was the best among them, leading the Edmonton Oil Kings to a WHL championship, and a berth in the 2014 Memorial Cup.

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Photo: Binghamton Senators forward and Ottawa Senators prospect Matt Puempel shared the team goal-scoring lead with Mike Hoffman in the 2013-14 regular season (courtesy of Minas Panagiotakis/Icon SMI)

There is no doubting Ottawa Senators forward prospect and Binghamton Senators' co-leading goal scorer Matt Puempel’s ability to score goals. The three-time 30-goal scorer at the OHL level was Ottawa’s first round pick (24th overall) in 2011 and, as Binghamton head coach Luke Richardson said several times, Puempel is a natural goal scorer.